Aesop's Fables; a new translation eBook

THE FARMER AND HIS DOGS

A Farmer was snowed up in his farmstead by a severe
storm, and was unable to go out and procure provisions
for himself and his family. So he first killed
his sheep and used them for food; then, as the storm
still continued, he killed his goats; and, last of
all, as the weather showed no signs of improving,
he was compelled to kill his oxen and eat them.
When his Dogs saw the various animals being killed
and eaten in turn, they said to one another, “We
had better get out of this or we shall be the next
to go!”

THE EAGLE AND THE FOX

An Eagle and a Fox became great friends and determined
to live near one another: they thought that the
more they saw of each other the better friends they
would be. So the Eagle built a nest at the top
of a high tree, while the Fox settled in a thicket
at the foot of it and produced a litter of cubs.
One day the Fox went out foraging for food, and the
Eagle, who also wanted food for her young, flew down
into the thicket, caught up the Fox’s cubs,
and carried them up into the tree for a meal for herself
and her family. When the Fox came back, and found
out what had happened, she was not so much sorry for
the loss of her cubs as furious because she couldn’t
get at the Eagle and pay her out for her treachery.
So she sat down not far off and cursed her. But
it wasn’t long before she had her revenge.
Some villagers happened to be sacrificing a goat on
a neighbouring altar, and the Eagle flew down and
carried off a piece of burning flesh to her nest.
There was a strong wind blowing, and the nest caught
fire, with the result that her fledglings fell half-roasted
to the ground. Then the Fox ran to the spot and
devoured them in full sight of the Eagle.

THE BUTCHER AND HIS CUSTOMERS

Two Men were buying meat at a Butcher’s stall
in the market-place, and, while the Butcher’s
back was turned for a moment, one of them snatched
up a joint and hastily thrust it under the other’s
cloak, where it could not be seen. When the Butcher
turned round, he missed the meat at once, and charged
them with having stolen it: but the one who had
taken it said he hadn’t got it, and the one who
had got it said he hadn’t taken it. The
Butcher felt sure they were deceiving him, but he
only said, “You may cheat me with your lying,
but you can’t cheat the gods, and they won’t
let you off so lightly.”